The Futility of the Mind of Dead Men!!!
Ephesians 4:17-24
Eph. 4:17-19 After his incredible description of our Loving Heavenly Father’s process of bringing His Adopted Family out of the death of trespasses and sin into the Glorious Image of His Dear Son, he once again lays out the black canvas of our former existence. (recall 2:1-3; compare I Cor. 6:11, Col. 3:11, Titus 3:3. An integral part of true humility is to never forget the pit from which we were dug!
Vs 17 1. Paul first of all states his “authority source”. It’s in his “Location”–in the Lord. What Paul is saying is out of his new creation location–“If any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creation.” And what he is saying is laying the ground work for the new creation behavior of the adopted children of the Father.
2. “You should no longer walk as the Gentiles/nations walk.” Paul isn’t here talking about the murderers, rapists and terrorists of the nations. He is talking about the core out of which all of fallen humanity operates–even the supposed “best” humans. See Rom. 8:5-8 Paul has already addressed this in Eph. 2:1-3 It is amazing that there is enough of “fleshly goodness” (even though it doesn’t please God), or the world would be one big “Mad Max” movie. Oh wait–it already is.
3. “In the futility of their mind.” Futility/vanity–#3153 from #3152 “This word stresses emptiness as to results and is used of creation (Rom. 8:20) as failing to bring forth the results for which it was designed.” In our context and everywhere else in scripture, it is speaking of anything and everything that doesn’t have eternity in it. The operating context of the nations looks no further than the here and now, or maybe a bit to an earthly future. But God’s Eternity is not in their thoughts. Proverbs is full of this futility and the Preacher states this conclusion in the preface to his book, Ecc. 1:2 “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Uses the equivalent Hebrew word.)
Vs 18 Here is the “why” of their futility.
1. “Having their understanding darkened.” Rom. 1:19-22 makes it plain, no man is ignorant of God and His Glory through His Glorious Creation. But man suppresses this Glory and in the face of such Glorious Light, his “foolish heart is darkened.” He changes this Revelatory Glory into darkened images (Rom. 1:23) which are the essence of futility! (Isa. 46:5-7; Jer. 10:1-10)
John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
In Christ Jesus, God, as it were, “took the wraps off” His Glory. His Son, the Creator, is the “brightness of His Glory” (Heb 1:2-3) and humanity killed Him.
2. “Being alienated from the Life of God.” (Col. 1:21; Eph.5:8; I Jn. 5:5-7) The fact that humanity rejects the Creator in His Creation, and then in His Incarnation testifies plainly that humanity wants no part of the Life of God, for John plainly states that it was this LIFE that the disciples “have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the WORD OF LIFE—THE LIFE was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness and declare to you THAT ETERNAL LIFE WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER and was manifested to us.” I John 1:1-2
3.“Because of the ignorance that is in them.” II Cor. 4:3 This ignorance isn’t because humanity doesn’t have enough information. No, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of those that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine unto them.” (Contrast II Cor. 4:6) Remember the darkened understanding, remember the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience? We do not wrestle against flesh and blood!
4. “Because of the hardening of their heart”. A futile mind that has no eternity in it coupled with a darkened understanding, alienation from the Life of God god, coupled with the ongoing working of the god of this world–that is the root of materialism–humanity “lives” for stuff. And that leads to hardening of the heart. How else can we explain the slaughter of nearly 60 million babies in America on the altar of convenience–in a supposed “christian” nation?
Vs 19 “Who being past feeling”. (“Having cast off all feeling” Berry’s Interlinear) The human heart (not the physical, but the inner man) was created to live in the “soil” of love and to pump out that love to all it encounters. This is the restoration of which Eph. 3:14-20 is speaking. Rom. 1:31 speaks of idolatrous man as being “without natural affection” (KJV) I think this means in an increasing portion. But II Tim. 3:3 speaks of a greater calamity. Paul warns Timothy of the last days when professed people of God will be without “natural affection–unloving. NKJV These are the last of the last days!
1. “Have given themselves over to licentiousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” This is the elimination of any moral absolutes in their “world”. Note, Paul isn’t talking about societies “cleanness standard, but Gods’. And note the term–with greediness. It’s all about “me”. My wants become the grand determiner of any “moral code”. And lest we think “the devil made me do it”, notice, “they have given themselves over.” A will in bondage loves its bondage. BUT
VS 20 “YOU HAVE NOT SO LEARNED CHRIST!” Here is the transforming curriculum!
And here are the “TEACHING AIDS”.
John 6:29 “.........They shall all be taught of God, Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father come to me.”
I John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an Understanding, that we may know Him Who is True, and we are in Him Who is True, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and Eternal Life”.
John 16:13-14 “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth....He will glorify (show forth, reveal) Me.”
Vs 21 “if you have heard him, been taught by Him, AS THE TRUTH IS IN JESUS.” “I AM the way, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” (John 14:6) “And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32) This isn’t just learning things about him!!! The closest example of this learning I can think of is being married to the same beautiful woman for almost 48 years. I have learned her, have come to truly know her. And this process has changed a lot of my behavior. But this human experience cannot approach the process and result of Learning Christ, the One Who made me and gave Himself for me, and gives me His Living Word to dwell in my heart and to transform me from a selfish egotist to a willing sacrifice to show forth His Glory and Worship in my walk on this earth. And His Presence in me is my hope of the Eternal Glory. (Col. 1:27)
Vs 22 “That you put off...the old man.” All that we have discussed in 2:1-4 and 4:17-19 is that which characterized our “old man”, the person people saw and recognized from our behavior. Sometimes this old man was a nice guy, some times not so nice, but he was motivated by “deceitful lusts”. Remember, this is God’s standard, not man’s. Deceitful lusts are very attractive to society!!
Vs 23 “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” I believe that Paul is speaking of a return to “tree of life” thinking instead of “tree of knowledge” thinking. The “operating system” of the new man thinks out of an eternal context. That is why his behavior is not about laying up treasures here on this earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal. (Matt. 6:19-34) And how is this spirit of our mind renewed? By becoming a living sacrifice. (Rom. 12:1-2) By “letting this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 2:5-7) Learning that “we have the mind of Christ.” (I Cor 2:16) By believing in Him Whom He has sent. (John 6:29)
Vs 24 “and that you put on the new man which WAS CREATED according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.” We don’t “reinvent” the new man, we put Him on. Col. 2:9-10 is crucial here–“For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete IN HIM.” Put on Jesus!!! Learn Jesus! Paul counted all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. (Phil. 3:8) His passion was to know Christ in all of His working out of the Father’s Will for us, the adopted children. (Phil 3:10) Give yourself over to learning Jesus on the altar of sacrificial worship, the providential place God has you in!!!
Ephesians 4:17-24
Eph. 4:17-19 After his incredible description of our Loving Heavenly Father’s process of bringing His Adopted Family out of the death of trespasses and sin into the Glorious Image of His Dear Son, he once again lays out the black canvas of our former existence. (recall 2:1-3; compare I Cor. 6:11, Col. 3:11, Titus 3:3. An integral part of true humility is to never forget the pit from which we were dug!
Vs 17 1. Paul first of all states his “authority source”. It’s in his “Location”–in the Lord. What Paul is saying is out of his new creation location–“If any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creation.” And what he is saying is laying the ground work for the new creation behavior of the adopted children of the Father.
2. “You should no longer walk as the Gentiles/nations walk.” Paul isn’t here talking about the murderers, rapists and terrorists of the nations. He is talking about the core out of which all of fallen humanity operates–even the supposed “best” humans. See Rom. 8:5-8 Paul has already addressed this in Eph. 2:1-3 It is amazing that there is enough of “fleshly goodness” (even though it doesn’t please God), or the world would be one big “Mad Max” movie. Oh wait–it already is.
3. “In the futility of their mind.” Futility/vanity–#3153 from #3152 “This word stresses emptiness as to results and is used of creation (Rom. 8:20) as failing to bring forth the results for which it was designed.” In our context and everywhere else in scripture, it is speaking of anything and everything that doesn’t have eternity in it. The operating context of the nations looks no further than the here and now, or maybe a bit to an earthly future. But God’s Eternity is not in their thoughts. Proverbs is full of this futility and the Preacher states this conclusion in the preface to his book, Ecc. 1:2 “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (Uses the equivalent Hebrew word.)
Vs 18 Here is the “why” of their futility.
1. “Having their understanding darkened.” Rom. 1:19-22 makes it plain, no man is ignorant of God and His Glory through His Glorious Creation. But man suppresses this Glory and in the face of such Glorious Light, his “foolish heart is darkened.” He changes this Revelatory Glory into darkened images (Rom. 1:23) which are the essence of futility! (Isa. 46:5-7; Jer. 10:1-10)
John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
In Christ Jesus, God, as it were, “took the wraps off” His Glory. His Son, the Creator, is the “brightness of His Glory” (Heb 1:2-3) and humanity killed Him.
2. “Being alienated from the Life of God.” (Col. 1:21; Eph.5:8; I Jn. 5:5-7) The fact that humanity rejects the Creator in His Creation, and then in His Incarnation testifies plainly that humanity wants no part of the Life of God, for John plainly states that it was this LIFE that the disciples “have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the WORD OF LIFE—THE LIFE was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness and declare to you THAT ETERNAL LIFE WHICH WAS WITH THE FATHER and was manifested to us.” I John 1:1-2
3.“Because of the ignorance that is in them.” II Cor. 4:3 This ignorance isn’t because humanity doesn’t have enough information. No, “the god of this world has blinded the minds of those that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, Who is the Image of God, should shine unto them.” (Contrast II Cor. 4:6) Remember the darkened understanding, remember the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience? We do not wrestle against flesh and blood!
4. “Because of the hardening of their heart”. A futile mind that has no eternity in it coupled with a darkened understanding, alienation from the Life of God god, coupled with the ongoing working of the god of this world–that is the root of materialism–humanity “lives” for stuff. And that leads to hardening of the heart. How else can we explain the slaughter of nearly 60 million babies in America on the altar of convenience–in a supposed “christian” nation?
Vs 19 “Who being past feeling”. (“Having cast off all feeling” Berry’s Interlinear) The human heart (not the physical, but the inner man) was created to live in the “soil” of love and to pump out that love to all it encounters. This is the restoration of which Eph. 3:14-20 is speaking. Rom. 1:31 speaks of idolatrous man as being “without natural affection” (KJV) I think this means in an increasing portion. But II Tim. 3:3 speaks of a greater calamity. Paul warns Timothy of the last days when professed people of God will be without “natural affection–unloving. NKJV These are the last of the last days!
1. “Have given themselves over to licentiousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” This is the elimination of any moral absolutes in their “world”. Note, Paul isn’t talking about societies “cleanness standard, but Gods’. And note the term–with greediness. It’s all about “me”. My wants become the grand determiner of any “moral code”. And lest we think “the devil made me do it”, notice, “they have given themselves over.” A will in bondage loves its bondage. BUT
VS 20 “YOU HAVE NOT SO LEARNED CHRIST!” Here is the transforming curriculum!
And here are the “TEACHING AIDS”.
John 6:29 “.........They shall all be taught of God, Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father come to me.”
I John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an Understanding, that we may know Him Who is True, and we are in Him Who is True, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and Eternal Life”.
John 16:13-14 “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth....He will glorify (show forth, reveal) Me.”
Vs 21 “if you have heard him, been taught by Him, AS THE TRUTH IS IN JESUS.” “I AM the way, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” (John 14:6) “And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free.” (John 8:32) This isn’t just learning things about him!!! The closest example of this learning I can think of is being married to the same beautiful woman for almost 48 years. I have learned her, have come to truly know her. And this process has changed a lot of my behavior. But this human experience cannot approach the process and result of Learning Christ, the One Who made me and gave Himself for me, and gives me His Living Word to dwell in my heart and to transform me from a selfish egotist to a willing sacrifice to show forth His Glory and Worship in my walk on this earth. And His Presence in me is my hope of the Eternal Glory. (Col. 1:27)
Vs 22 “That you put off...the old man.” All that we have discussed in 2:1-4 and 4:17-19 is that which characterized our “old man”, the person people saw and recognized from our behavior. Sometimes this old man was a nice guy, some times not so nice, but he was motivated by “deceitful lusts”. Remember, this is God’s standard, not man’s. Deceitful lusts are very attractive to society!!
Vs 23 “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” I believe that Paul is speaking of a return to “tree of life” thinking instead of “tree of knowledge” thinking. The “operating system” of the new man thinks out of an eternal context. That is why his behavior is not about laying up treasures here on this earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal. (Matt. 6:19-34) And how is this spirit of our mind renewed? By becoming a living sacrifice. (Rom. 12:1-2) By “letting this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 2:5-7) Learning that “we have the mind of Christ.” (I Cor 2:16) By believing in Him Whom He has sent. (John 6:29)
Vs 24 “and that you put on the new man which WAS CREATED according to God, in righteousness and true holiness.” We don’t “reinvent” the new man, we put Him on. Col. 2:9-10 is crucial here–“For in Him (Christ) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete IN HIM.” Put on Jesus!!! Learn Jesus! Paul counted all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord. (Phil. 3:8) His passion was to know Christ in all of His working out of the Father’s Will for us, the adopted children. (Phil 3:10) Give yourself over to learning Jesus on the altar of sacrificial worship, the providential place God has you in!!!